1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a media cassette for an automatic dispenser such as a paper currency dispenser and particularly, to a media cassette for an automatic dispenser in which a push plate locking latch in the media cassette is automatically unlatched when the media cassette is received in the automatic dispenser.
2. Description of the Background Art
Generally, an automatic dispenser is applied to automatic teller machines (ATMs). An ATM generally is provided with a space for receiving a media cassette to store cash (paper currency) which is a medium and with a door for locking the media cassette after receiving the media cassette therein.
FIG. 1 is a top plan view showing a conventional media cassette for an automatic dispenser and FIG. 2 is a front view showing the conventional media cassette for an automatic dispenser.
The conventional media cassette for the automatic dispenser includes a cassette body 102 having an interior space in which media may be stored, a push plate 104 installed slidably in the cassette body 102 for supporting media received in the cassette body 102, a spring 106 positioned between the push plate 104 and an inside wall of the cassette body 102 for urging the push plate 104, and a guide installed between the push plate 104 and the cassette body 102 for slidably supporting the push plate 104.
The cassette body has a rectangular shape with the one side opened and a guide line 108 which is slid at the upper side when the media cassette is installed in the automatic dispenser.
The push plate 104 is positioned movably in the cassette body 102 standing upright and at the one upper end of the cassette body, a handle 110 is formed which a user can hold and pull out. As mentioned between the rear surface of the push plate 104 and the inner rear wall surface of the cassette body 102, a spring 106 is installed to provide an elastic force to the push plate 104.
The guide includes a guide rails 112 which are installed on the both inner side walls of the cassette body 102 in the longitudinal direction thereof and guide rollers 114 which are installed at the both sides of the push plate 104 rotatably and abutted to the respective guide rails 112.
The guide rollers 114 are supported on rotation shafts 116 which are installed at both sides of the push plate 104 in the upright direction.
The operation of the conventional media cassette for an automatic dispenser will be described as follows.
If the handle 110 formed in the push plate 104 is pulled to the rear, the push plate 104 moves rearwardly overcoming the elastic force of the spring 106. After moving the push plate 104, media are received to the inside of the cassette body 102 sequentially with the push plate 104 being held back manually to prevent the push plate 104 from moving forwardly.
In case the handle 110 of the push plate 104 is released after completing loading of the media, the push plate 104 moves forwardly by the elastic force of the spring 106 and the media between the cassette body 102 and the push plate 104 is pressed by a certain elastic force. Once the loading is completed, the media cassette is ready to be installed and used for the automatic dispenser.
However, the conventional media cassette for the automatic dispenser has problems that the operation is difficult, the operation time is long and inferior results are produced in case of installing it in the automatic dispenser due to the irregular reception of the media after the operation since a user must move the support plate rearwardly and hold it so that it with one hand cannot move forwardly while holding the media into the cassette body with the other hand.
To solve the above problem, a locking tool is installed between the support plate and the cassette body, the push plate is pulled backed and locked, media is loaded, and when a locking release button is pushed, locking of the push plate is released thus to support the media.
However, in the above conventional media cassette, locking of the push plate must be released before loading the media cassette into the automatic dispenser. In case the user loads the media cassette into the automatic dispenser without pushing the locking release button by mistake, there occurs a problem that the media are not supplied to the dispenser because the push plate is held in the locked state.
Also, since the conventional media cassette can store only one kind of media, media of different sizes can not be stored thus to limit the usage of the cassette.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a media cassette for an automatic dispenser which can be used easily and which solves the problems of incorrect operation in case of loading a cassette with a locked push plate since locking of the push plate is automatically released if the automatic dispenser receives the cassette with a locked push plate.
Another object is to provide a media cassette for an automatic dispenser which can store many kinds of media having different sizes since the width of the cassette body can be changed according to the size of the stored media thus to broaden the usefulness.
To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, there is provided a media cassette for an automatic dispenser, comprising a cassette body having an interior space in which media to be dispensed may be received, a push plate installed slidably in the cassette body for supporting media received therein, an elastic member positioned between the push plate and the cassette body for urging the push plate, guide means installed between side surfaces of the push plate and inner sides of the cassette body for guiding the push plate to perform linear movement, and locking means installed between the push plate and the cassette body for locking the push plate to the cassette body and for automatically releasing the locking of the push plate when the media cassette is inserted into an automatic dispenser.
The guide means comprises a guide rod installed at each side of the cassette body and extending in a longitudinal direction thereof and a guide hole formed at the each side of the push plate and respectively fixed slidably to the corresponding guide rod.
A bushing is fixed inside each guide hole to facilitate sliding of the push plate.
The locking means comprises a hook part coupled to a rear wall of the cassette body and protruded to the inner side of the cassette body for performing locking operation of the push plate, a hook assembly having a locking release button part protruded to the outside of the cassette body for being operated when the cassette is inserted into an automatic dispenser, to release the locking and a latching pin provided on the push plate and engageable by the hook assembly.
The hook assembly comprises a bracket which is fixed an the installing hole formed in the cassette body, a hinge shaft fixed to the bracket, a hook member having a side protruded to the inner side of the cassette body forming a hook part which is protruded outwardly from the cassette body and engageable with the latching pin and another side having a locking release button part for releasing latching operation and being rotatable on the hinge shaft and a return spring for urging the hook member to its original position on the hinge shaft.
The locking release button part of the hook member is formed protruded outwardly of the cassette body at a certain angle so that the button can be pushed and operate when a door of the automatic dispenser is closed.
The latching pin is fixed to two mounting parts which are protruded at a certain interval from the rear surface of the cassette body.
A retaining ring is fixed at each end of the latching pin.
The media cassette for an automatic dispenser comprises a cassette body having an interior space in which media to be dispensed may be received, a push plate installed slidably in the cassette body for supporting media received therein, an elastic member positioned between the push plate and the cassette body for urging the push plate, a guide means installed between each side of the push plate and each side of the cassette body to guide the push plate to perform linear movement and a width varying means installed on a bottom surface of each sides of the cassette body for varying the width of the interior space in the cassette body according to the size of media to be received therein.
The width varying means comprises a support panel installed at each side of the cassette body extending in a longitudinal direction for supporting both side edge of the media, position determining holes formed in a bottom surfaces at both sides at the cassette body at intervals so that the position of the support panels in a transverse direction of the cassette body can be changed according to the size of the media to be received in the cassette body and position fixing bolts for fixing the support panels in the position determining holes.
The media cassette for an automatic dispenser comprises a cassette body having an interior space in which media to be dispensed can be received, a push plate installed slidably in the cassette body for supporting media received therein, an elastic member positioned between the push plate and the cassette body for urging the push plate, a guide means installed between each side surfaces of the push plate and inner sides of the cassette body for guiding the push plate to perform linear movement, a locking means installed between the push plate and the cassette body for locking the push plate and releasing the locking of the push plate when the media cassette is inserted into the automatic dispenser and a width varying means installed on a bottom surface at both sides of the cassette body for varying the width of the cassette body according to the media to be received therein.
The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.